"Shelagh Stephenson has written a play teeming with interest, humour, eloquence and, above all, ideas." - Independent 1799 - On the eve of a new century, the family-house of an esteemed scientist buzzes with experiments, furtive romance and farcical amateur dramatics. 1999 - In a world of scientific chaos, cloning and genetic engineering, the cellar of the same house reveals a dark secret buried for 200 years. Joint recipient of the 1997 Peggy Ramsay Award, Shelagh Stephenson's daring and thoughtful drama twists in on itself, discussing what it means to play God. An Experiment with an Air Pump is published in Methuen Drama's Modern Classics series, featuring a new introductory interview with the author by Jack McNamara.